For two cross-country mountain bikers from Quebec, the Velirium World Cup at Mont St. Anne, near Quebec City, is just the test run in preparation for a bigger game.
In a week, they’ll be heading to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“It will be a good opportunity to see where the fitness is. We know that we are not 100 per cent, but we want to do our best this weekend,” Olympian Léandre Bouchard explained.
“It feels really awesome,” said Raphaël Gagné, of representing Canada in Rio.
It’s the first Olympics for both Gagné and Bouchard.
“Cross country is about an hour racing. We do about six to eight laps, 46 kilometres each and we have a bit of everything – climbing, descending and lots of different technical sections,” Gagné explained.
Canada’s Olympic women cyclists are also competing at Velirium.
“I want to win. This is always a good course for me and I think I’ve got good form now. It’s a good preparation,” said Catharine Pendrel, an Olympian from British Columbia.
Pendrel is the 2011 and 2014 world champion; she also competed in the Beijing and London Olympics.
This time, she’s aiming for the podium.
There’s just a slight hiccup she’ll have to overcome first – her bike, delayed at the airport, hasn’t arrived yet, but she’s not letting it mess with her vibe.